Come Back
by starsight22
Summary: John isn't stupid; he knows Sherlock's not dead. He just hopes that Sherlock has a good reason for not telling him, because otherwise, John will kill sherlock himself. Cannon divergence, 02x03
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! So, this is my first story, and I hope it isn't too dumb. This is a one-shot which I thought of when I was re-watching Sherlock. 'Coz John is way to awesome to be fooled by that trick. Hope you like it.**

* * *

John is angry. Actually, that isn't a strong enough word. John is enraged, infuriated, irate..._pissed._ And he knows why, too. The relief that Mrs Hudson is safe, _unharmed,_ at least for now, is slowly slipping away to make room for annoyance. Annoyance at his stupid, _stupid _roommate, who _insists_ on doing things _his _way, who _refuses_ to let anyone help him, who pretends he cares about nothing when it is so _painfully, endearingly _obvious that he cares so, so much. He looks at his landlady one last time, checking for any signs of damage, and then turns and runs back out. "Taxi!" he sees someone else also attempt to enter and shouts the first thing that comes into his head. "No no no, Police!" He grabs the door and then amends his statement. "Well, sort of." Because he is Sherlock's partner, and Sherlock protects London. And he protects Sherlock. He only hopes he isn't too late.

* * *

He reaches the hospital quickly, probably helped by the fact that he agrees to give the cabbie a bit extra. Quickly getting out, he hears the ring of his phone. _Sherlock._ "Hello?"_ You idiot, I'm worried._

"John." And something is _wrong_; he can hear it in Sherlock's voice. He sounds resigned, and this is Sherlock, he's never resigned, he's always defiant and brave and so, so clever.

"Hey, Sherlock, you okay?"

"Turn around and walk back the way you came now." And Sherlock's voice is starting to scare him, he is starting to get worried, because it sounds terrified and desperate, and Sherlock should never sound like that.

"No, I'm coming in." Because he has to find Sherlock before he does something stupid, like he always does.

"Just do as I ask. Please." So he does, because he always does, and Sherlock said please, so it must be important. Sherlock asks him to stop and look up, to the roof, and _shit, _Sherlock is up there, and this had better be some kind of joke. And Sherlock begins to speak, voice cracking and breaking, falling apart because he is trying to convince his best friend that everything he ever said, everything he ever did, everything that first brought them together, all of that is true.

And John gets why most people would think that Sherlock is a fraud, most people don't like him much to begin with. As Sherlock said, it was a lie that was more preferable than the truth, because the truth meant that Sherlock was a great man, an extraordinary man. But the thing is, John has always believed that, and it hurts slightly to think that Sherlock would even _think, _for even a moment, that he would believe some stupid lie, a web spun by the man who _tried to blow him up._

So he tries convincing Sherlock that he believes in him, that he will always believe in him. "Okay, shut up, Sherlock, shut up. The first time we met ... the first time we met, you knew all about my sister, right?"

"Nobody could be that clever."

And really? Was now really the time for Sherlock to start doubting himself? "You could." He hears Sherlock laugh, and feels a brief glow of happiness, because _he _is the one who gets to hear that laugh, Sherlock's happy laugh. Then he hears Sherlock become serious again. "I researched you. Before we met I discovered everything that I could to impress you. It's a trick. Just a magic trick."

He can hear the sadness in his voice, and this is starting to get irritating, because both of them can be stubborn, and right now, Sherlock refuses to admit that John will never believe that he was a fraud, because John _knows _Sherlock. "No. All right, stop it now." He starts to walk towards the hospital entrance, but the sudden terror in Sherlock's voice stops him, begging him to stay exactly where he is, to keep his eyes on Sherlock. And there is a small voice in the back of his head screaming that Sherlock is up to something. He may not be the deducting genius Sherlock is, but he knows Sherlock, knows when he is going to do something idiotic and dangerous.

But Sherlock is his friend, and he trusts him, and it is better to watch him anyway, so he stays there, stomach rising to his throat as he slowly figures out Sherlock's plan. "This phone call – it's, er ... it's my note. It's what people do, don't they – leave a note?"

"Leave a note when?"

"Goodbye, John." And wow, this has to be the most absurd idea Sherlock has ever had. Does he really think that John would believe Sherlock to be even vaguely suicidal? The only reason he would ever jump of a building would be if … oh. If someone had threatened the people he cared about. Or as an experiment, you can never tell with Sherlock. But still, he _had _probably met Moriarty.

"No, don't" He wants to stop him, wants to tell him to wait and tell John why he's doing this. But it is too late.

"No. SHERLOCK!" And he watches in shock as his best friend falls from the roof, limbs splayed, face set. He stands in anguish for a minute, before he uses everything he learnt in the war to take the pain and push it away, and then he is running, running towards his friend, his roommate, his _patient_. A cyclist knocks him down, but it is only for a minute, and then he is pushing through the crowd of people towards his friend's broken body. "No, he's my friend. He's my friend. Please." The crowd parts for an instant, allowing him to see the body, and… oh god.

For a minute he feels guilty, because there is a body lying there, and he should he concerned, but all he can feel is relief and joy, so strong

For a minute he feels guilty, because there is a body lying there, and he should he concerned, but all he can feel is relief and joy, so strong it makes him feel faint. Because he is a doctor, and regardless of what Sherlock apparently believes, he _can _tell the difference between his friend's body and someone else's. And even if he couldn't, it is rather obvious to him with just a glace that the body in front of him did not just fall from the top of the hospital. "Jesus, no." _Relief. Sherlock is probably alive._

But just in case, he checks for the pulse, and feels sort of gratified that there isn't one, because the corpse is cold, and for such a recent death, it should still have been warm.

"God, no." _Annoyance. _He feels sort of insulted that Sherlock thinks so little of his skills as a doctor. Then the adrenaline rushing through is body subsides, and he sags to the ground, watching wearily as a body looking remarkably like his friend is taken away.

* * *

Of course, the world thinks Sherlock committed suicide, so he plays the role of distraught roommate and tries not to think about how similar this role is to that of 'soldier's wife'. Because, no. Just no. He is very convincing too, although his therapist is probably under the impression that he was in love with Sherlock. Still, she wasn't the first, and she probably won't be the last. And he waits for Sherlock to contact him, to tell him what his latest plan is. Because if Sherlock planned this elaborate suicide, then he has a plan. He just hopes that he gets to help. In some way other than playing his current role.

* * *

John isn't surprised when very few people come to Sherlock's funeral. After all, most people are convinced he is a fraud, while others hate him. And then there are people like his family, who don't attend. John thinks that Sherlock probably didn't want to cause them emotional pain, and Mycroft probably told them the plan anyway. Lestrade comes, which surprises him, and Donovan and Anderson, which doesn't. They probably came to gloat. He isn't surprised that Molly is there, but he is surprised that she leaves rather quickly, and doesn't get very emotional. He figures that she's probably too busy to come. Eventually, it's just him and Mrs Hudson, and then eventually just him. He stands there for a while, because to the world, he is still in mourning, and this is what he would do if Sherlock was actually dead. Then he suddenly realises something. Sherlock, moronically brilliant as he is, would not miss an opportunity to see his own funeral. So he speaks loudly to him, knowing that he is there, but addressing it to the tombstone, because Sherlock knows him, and they've worked together, saved each other enough for him to read between the lines

" You ... you told me once that you weren't a hero. Umm ... there were times I didn't even think you were _human_, but let me tell you this: you were the best man, and the most human ... human being that I've ever known and no-one will ever convince me that you told me a lie, and so ... There."

_I know you're probably trying to help me, idiot, but you're really not. You're my best friend, and I miss you. I believe in Sherlock Holmes, and don't you forget it._

"I was so alone, and I owe you so much.

_Let me help you, we both know I could handle anything that happens._

"No, please, there's just one more thing, mate, one more thing: one more miracle, Sherlock, for me. Don't ... be... dead. Would you do...? Just for me, just stop it".

_I know you're not dead, please, come back. Stop pretending, to me at least._

But there is no response, so he sighs, salutes the grave, and the unknown man buried inside, and walks away, and he knows he looks pathetic, but he does feel rather sad right now, because Sherlock apparently doesn't want him to know that he is alive. But he will always trust Sherlock, whether he wants to or not, and he trusts now that Sherlock has a plan, andone day, Sherlock Holmes will return.

* * *

**Soo... That was it. If I get time, I may continue this and show what happens when Sherlock gets back...**

**Anyway, How was it? I would love to know! Review, please.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I...don't know. I honestly have ****_no _****idea where this came from. Oh well. This is John's life post-Reichenbach, and how he met Mary Morstan. **

* * *

After Sherlock's 'death', John falls briefly into a depression. Because his life no longer has anything interesting, nothing _happens_, and Sherlock is an idiot who doesn't seem very inclined to let John help him. And if nothing is happening, then John has too much time, way too much time, to think, and brood, and generally be miserable. Hence, the depression.

But John _has_ had a life before Sherlock – a boring life, but a life nonetheless, and he _is _a good doctor, so he pulls himself together and decides what to do with his life. He writes an actual list, because it is incredibly, terribly boring, and when Sherlock comes back he will personally strangle him for leaving him and taking all the fun parts of his life away.

* * *

**1. Find a Job.**

This proves to be easy; after all, every single bloody person has heard about the 'Fraud Detective's Assistant' (that is one of the more polite names he hears), so any hospital he works in is guaranteed a sudden flock of people, either faking illness or otherwise, eager to ask him 'is it true, was he really a fraud, did you know' and other questions he grits his teeth and ignores. The hard part isn't finding a job; it's keeping one, because there is invariably a day when he snaps, screams, threatens the latest idiot faking pneumonia with castration or worse. That's when the second item on his list becomes important.

* * *

**2. Talk to Mycroft.**

John had always planned to eventually talk to Mycroft; the job situation just made him do it faster. After all, Mycroft, with his connections, and his spies, and big black cars, and fancy cameras probably knew more about the Sherlock situation than John, and John _hated _not knowing something when he could get information.

The Talk (and yes, it deserved capitals; this was Mycroft, and _God_ he was irritating and John wanted _so badly _to punch him, hard) went differently from what he had expected. His original plan had been to attract Mycroft's attention, tell him that he knew about Sherlock, and ask for information (and a chance to _help _and _protect_, because that's what he does). The reality is different.

The first part of his plan is easy; if rather stupid. He walks into the club Mycroft usually spends his free time in, and chants Mycroft's name in steadily increasing volume and pitch until he is dragged away and forced into a room, where Mycroft enters.

And that's when John _knows, _instinctively, that his plan needs to be changed. Because Mycroft and Sherlock are very alike, and even if he doesn't know Mycroft, he knows Sherlock, and that face, that expression is the one his roommate uses when he wants to fake emotion. In this case, a sadness so profoundly fake it actually looks rather constipated.

And then he realises that Mycroft will never tell him anything. To the brothers, he is the little muggle that Sherlock took pity on and introduced to the magic world. And he doesn't blame them; he's spent his whole life being underestimated, because of his height, and his generally placid aura. Sherlock had seen a bit of him, but even _he_ underestimated him.

"John."

"Mycroft." If he was going to underestimate him, fine. It meant that he had more freedom, less surveillance.

"I…I truly _am _sorry, John. This is something I didn't anticipate." Here he looks down, then looks up again at John, and for an instant some genuine emotion- pity, but still- flashes before it disappears again.

"That's a lie and you know it."

Mycroft chuckles softly. "Regardless, if it's any consolation, my brother did care for you. And that is why I have taken the liberty of giving you this." He takes an envelope out of his pocket, and extends it to John. He takes it, and opens it to reveal a cheque, for more money than John has seen in his life. He looks at it, then at Mycroft.

"It isn't a consolation. And I have no desire to be paid, like some kind of…" he cuts himself off, reminding himself that anger won't help his cause. He takes a deep breath, and then addresses Mycroft. "But I'll accept this, whatever the sentiment behind it, if only because I hope it puts a sizeable dent in your bank account." There is a flash of surprise and amusement, which he ignores. "I came here to tell you that since I'm out of the game now, there is no longer any need to watch me. So stop."

Mycroft regards him for a moment, calculating and cold, before he nods, dismissing him as a threat. He shoves down the anger simmering and seething in him and walks out.

* * *

**Get a Job (contd.) **

With the money he gets from Mycroft, he opens up his own clinic, where he is able to shout at morons to his heart's content. He mostly treats the homeless, though, and some of the families who wouldn't be able to afford the other hospitals. They pay him back with smiles, and food. It may not be a very adrenaline filled life, but he feels content. He does have patients who are richer, and them he charges more, and uses this money to buy food, and to pay the homeless network, Sherlock's pride and joy, to do jobs for him, jobs which aid in the next item on his list.

* * *

**3. Clear Sherlock's name.**

John knows it isn't going to be easy to clear Sherlock's name, and he's pretty sure Sherlock himself is trying to do just that, with help from his brother. But what he can do is wage a psychological war, convince people that the information is false. So he does, he visits people they once helped, convinces them, argues passionately that Sherlock wasn't a fraud, how could he be, he was a true genius, and the world was a better place when he was in it.

And sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but he knows that the seed is planted in their minds, he is putting doubt in their heads, just like Moriarty once did, and it makes him get a sick feeling in his stomach every time he thinks that. But he perseveres, and the people he talks to spread the doubt, and the homeless network repays him for any medical aid he gives them by drawing graffiti everywhere and starting an underground campaign, "I believe in Sherlock Holmes".

And he does. He believes in Sherlock Holmes, in his best friend, and that is what keeps him going.

* * *

He is sitting in the clinic, wrapping a bandage around a little girl's arm and assuring her that she is fine, when he hears someone enter the room, and looks up to see a very pretty blonde enter. He finishes with the child and then gets up to meet her. She introduces herself as '_Mary, Mary Morstan,'_ and she has come to see if she can get a job as a receptionist, and there is something about her, something in those mischievous brown eyes that makes him ask her if she wants to get a drink together. And she accepts, and it really isn't a part of his plan, but then, no plan is ever 100% successful.

And she is funny, and sweet, and gentle, and he finds himself falling for her. Sherlock isn't there to scare her off, like he did to all his previous girlfriends, and that thought is what stops him from proposing. Because if she cannot handle Sherlock, then she cannot be with him, because Sherlock had his loyalty first, and she will have to trust that while he will always go to help Sherlock, he will never put her in danger. Well, _too much _danger.

So he waits, and tells her that he is waiting for something, and surprisingly, she accepts, living with him, and helping him with his work. And eventually, when John invariably gets pulled into danger (because there are people who hate Sherlock, and John is Sherlock's best friend, so he gets kidnapped way more than normal people should), Mary gets pulled in too, and they surprise each other by staying calm (actually, to his surprise, she seems sort of bored after the 4th time, and he just gets amused whenever it happens, and they play games which confuse their captors, and annoy them) until one of the bad guys give the traditional monologue and them pulls a gun, by which time Mary has already picked the locks or cut the ropes and they are free, so John tackles him, takes the gun, and proceeds to give them a list of good reasons as to why they should never try this again.

* * *

Mary surprises John by having a skill set more reminiscent of a spy or assassin than a receptionist, but then, he is an army doctor with perfect aim, whose greatest wish is to live life dangerously, so he doesn't question her much, just asking her a few questions, which she swears to answer as truthfully as possible.

"_Do you love me?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Will you hurt me, or those I care about?"_

_"No. I won't hurt anyone unless they try to hurt you or me."_

_"Then your past is the past, and I'm honoured to be a part of your present."_

And that is that. They still go out on dates, and cuddle in bed, and she cooks divine ambrosia, and nothing changes except that John no longer worries about her safety as much as he did before. And they wait, so that Sherlock comes back and his family is complete.

* * *

**Yeah... that's... the next chapter, I guess. Hope you liked it. Review if you did, or didn't. Constructive criticism is appreciated. **


	3. Chapter 3

**I really didn't think I would update so quickly, but whatever. This is what I think would happen when Sherlock came back. It's kind of short, but that's mostly 'coz I'm feeling lazy right now...Oh well! Enjoy!**

* * *

Two years. It takes _two years _for Sherlock to remember John exists. And then he comes sauntering in to interrupt his date, and John is feeling _so_ many flashes of déjà vu. And like all the other times, his first thought is, "Oh God, please let him be polite enough for her to like him." Because John cares about both of them, and he needs them to get along. His _second _thought is, "That bastard left me for two years!" Hence, his instinctive reaction.

His heart literally jumps out of his chest when he sees the 'waiter'- actually, a lot of his organs spontaneously shift places. Because Sherlock is _here_, and he _came back_, and he had come to meet John, and for a moment he floats in a euphoric haze, until he remembers that he was _abandoned, the bloody prat. _So he stands and stares at Sherlock, until he starts to fidget and avoid eye contact, until he finally pulls himself together. "Short version? Not dead." He continues to say something about how he shouldn't have surprised John, because it could have caused a heart attack or something, and John is standing there and trying his very best to _not punch him, he is an idiot, you know that, _but it isn't working. Then Mary suddenly realises who it is, who is causing John to get so angry and happy and irritated and hurt.

"Oh no! You're ..."

"Oh yes." He glances at her and then obviously dismisses her

"Oh, my God."

"Not quite."

"You died. You jumped off a roof."

"No."

"You're dead!"

"No. I'm quite sure. I checked. Excuse me". He cleans of that ridiculous moustache, looking a little like a little boy caught stealing cookies.

"Does, er, does yours rub off, too?" At this point John starts wondering why, exactly, he hasn't punched Sherlock yet.

"Oh my God, oh my God. Do you have any idea what you've done to him?"

At this point John decides it is probably better to intervene, partly because Mary is starting to sound murderous, and partly because it will probably help him keep his temper.

"I knew you weren't dead."

Sherlock freezes, mouth open, before he coughs. "Come again?"

John feels a small spark of pride that he managed to surprise Sherlock Homes, before he repeats his statement, glaring at Sherlock. "I knew you weren't dead, idiot. I'm a doctor, remember? That little trick of yours wouldn't work on me. So yes, I knew you weren't dead. I waited for you to tell me, but you didn't. And it isn't like you knew that I knew, which means that you would have been perfectly happy to _leave me in the dark._" He stops here to draw breath, fully intending to go on, when Sherlock speaks. "John, I realise that I probably owe you some kind of apology…" At this, John shoots his gaze up incredulously, because, _probably?_ Sherlock sees the look and hastily tries to defend himself. "Wait – before you do anything that you might regret ... um, one question. Just let me ask one question. Um ..."

John waits. Sherlock looks at him. "Are you really going to keep that?" He gestures to the moustache and chuckles, and Mary laughs, and John loses his tenacious grip on his anger. Next thing he knows, waiters are pulling him and Sherlock apart, and the three of them spend the rest of the night shifting from one place to another, because Sherlock is an idiot, and there is a limit to John's temper. By the end of the night, though, Mary obviously likes Sherlock, Sherlock has collected an admirable number of bruises, and John has a few memories which, in retrospect, are rather funny. Not that he will ever admit it. He will also never admit that by the third fight he had more or less been faking anger. Because this was Sherlock, and John would always forgive him, because that was how it worked.

All in all, he thinks it is a good night, because the two most important people in his life (other than Harry, because Harry doesn't like Sherlock very much, and at the moment, he doesn't like Harry very much) are getting along. But he pretends to ignore Sherlock, act as if he isn't forgiven, because Mary is pretty much consoling Sherlock, and it makes John feel all bubby and happy.

And he does _not_ shave of his moustache just because Sherlock said something. Mary doesn't know everything. Actually, Mary appears to be convinced that he and Sherlock were in some kind of relationship (but then, most people tend to think so), and strangely enough seems very happy about that fact. He decides to worry later about the fact that his future wife (hopefully) is a total fangirl.

* * *

Unfortunately, he may have been rather enthusiastic about acting upset to Sherlock, which means that Sherlock doesn't contact him, and he spends the day bored out of his mind 9because there is a voice in his head saying_ Sherlock's here, go to him, he's exciting and fun._

Of course, Sherlock coming back means that the kidnappings double in number, and after about four failed attempts and a long day at work, he is caught unprepared outside 221B Baker Street and taken. He wakes up surrounded by wood and other really flammable substances, and the flickers of flame and fire that he sees through his 'prison' tell him where he is.

He is the human Guy that will be burned tonight.

Then he is surrounded by light and heat and it _hurts, damn it_. He feels hands, pulling and pushing, protecting, saving hands. Sherlock. Mary. They are screaming his name, and they sound scared. And they shouldn't be scared, ever, because it is his job to protect them, and he is still alive, so he struggles to get up, to protect them. And he hears relief in their voices, and calms down, because they _are safe._

* * *

He goes to Sherlock after he is discharged from the hospital, and sees him with two people, and they are sweet and caring, and at the same time fiercely protective of Sherlock and when he says they are his parents, John can see the resemblance so acutely, but he knows Sherlock, knows he cannot say that, so he jokes about how ordinary they are (but they can't be; they brought Sherlock and Mycroft into the world) and Sherlock plays along. Then he says sorry, so quiet and desperate, and John has no choice, because Sherlock is hurting, so he nods, and he knows Sherlock will take that as the forgiveness it is. Then they get to work, just like they always do, as if the last two years didn't happen, because they fall into place with the ease of puzzle pieces, Sherlock explaining, and John listening and unknowingly pushing him into the answers.

* * *

And then they are off, running around London, around the city they protect, searching for the bomb that threatens it. And they find it, and they are stuck there, and Sherlock manages to weasel a compliment out of John, and almost gives John a heart attack, but they live and laugh together again, and John is overwhelmingly happy. All that remains is to bring Mary into his life as well. Permanently.

* * *

Granted, his proposal is rather spontaneous. He is walking with her on the banks of the river, trying to pluck up the courage to ask her, when Sherlock appears, congratulates Mary and tells John that he has a case. "Come on John! Bring your fiancée too, if you must; I'm sure she'll enjoy it." And Mary is laughing at his annoyed face, and Sherlock is looking impatient, so he just gets down on one knee and takes her hand. "Mary Morstan, you're smart and you probably figured out what Sherlock was going on about, and you haven't run, so I'm going to take that as a yes. So here." He places the box with the ring in her hand, stands up, takes her other hand, and they follow Sherlock, her laughter at the rather unorthodox proposal floating on the wind, joined eventually by Sherlock's and his laughter as well.

And he is glad that his new life starts just like his life with Sherlock did; laughter in the face of danger. Because the Game was ON.

* * *

**I...have no idea what to say about that. Meh, whatever. Hope you liked it, tell me if you did. And if you didn't, tell me why. Review please!**


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